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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27571909">Until death do us part</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarletSakura/pseuds/ScarletSakura'>ScarletSakura</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>EXO (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Arranged Marriage, Flower Symbolism, Forbidden Love, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:48:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,824</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27571909</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarletSakura/pseuds/ScarletSakura</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The reason for his happiness was buried with flowers at the place where he took his last breath.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Oh Sehun/Zhang Yi Xing | Lay</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Round 1 of Tales of the Lotus Fest</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Until death do us part</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is written based on prompt #LT203.</p><p>Angst? Ah, that's my specialty.</p><p>I hope I did your prompt justice, dear prompter &gt;&lt; and thank you to the mods! (I lowkey forgot the submission's date... BUT I'M HERE, submitted it before the extended deadline &gt;&lt;)</p><p>This is my first HunLay fic, it just had to angst huh :')</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The murmurs, gaps and confused questions creates a very unpleasant and chaotic scene at the Pillars of Lotus; where the rules of the kingdom, royal announcement and hierarchy of the palace officers and royal's family tree was carved into the pillars for everyone to see and read.</p><p>And the cause of the commotion was the recent royal decree by the King of Lotus himself.</p><p>The royal decree written in perfect sways of the calligraphy ink brush with the burnt seal of His Majesty The King was just finished being nailed into the Pillar of Royalty; meant only for the royal family of the Lotus Kingdom.</p><p> </p><p>'Crown Prince of Lotus, Zhang Yixing has committed an act of disobedience and disloyalty by going against the royal decree from His Majesty the King of Lotus.</p><p>The King has officially stripped Zhang Yixing off from his previous title as The Crown Prince of Lotus and as a royal family member.'</p><p> </p><p>Kim Junmyeon, the royal eunuch for His Majesty, felt his heart grew heavy with every nail on the hammer as it showcases the writings of their king disowning his own firstborn. But what made his covered skin behind the robes sweating despite the humid air and his usually steady and clear voice waivers slightly was what he had just announced to the citizens of the Kingdom of Lotus.</p><p>"His Majesty The King will be giving rewards to those who brings Zhang Yixing back to the capital unharmed, along with his royal guard Oh Sehun back to the palace regardless dead or alive."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The leaves crunch then crumble beneath heavy steps, the eerie sound is silenced by the howling of the wind that rustles the leaves atop the trees.</p><p>Former Crown Prince of Lotus, Zhang Yixing made his way through the forest with alert eyes and ears; ready to take necessary actions should they get caught by patrolling guards or wandering citizens.</p><p>Behind him is the former Royal Guard of The Crown Prince, Oh Sehun taking measuring steps as he threads his eyes sharply across the forest to spot any suspicious movements.</p><p>They've made themselves incognito as possible as they fled from the palace grounds; abandoning the soil where both of them grew up, where they first met, where they started developing their forbidden romance, where both of them gave their firsts to each other, where Yixing was announced to be wedded with the Crown Princess from their neighbourhood kingdom, where the former Crown Prince refused his father's marriage arrangement and then declared his love for his Royal Guard.</p><p>The grounds that they have abandoned were full of happy memories; but there were bad times as well.</p><p>It was also the place where Oh Sehun had witnessed how fierce Yixing was when he argued with the king himself. How the King of Lotus disowned his firstborn in the heat of the moment, how Yixing's angry expression died down immediately as he stared in disbelief at the man that stands on the throne that he once told Sehun how much of a doting father the king has been to him.</p><p>"It's not too late to go back and ask for forgiveness." He reminded the man walking in front of him. Said man didn't falter, "If his forgiveness meant losing you, then I don't want it."</p><p>"You won't lose me." Sehun reassured.</p><p>But the former Crown Prince knows better.</p><p>Sehun stops his track, "I'm sure that the king is waiting for your return, we all know how much he loves you."</p><p>"If he truly does, he wouldn't forbid me from wanting to wed you." Yixing answered steadily, his feet becoming farther from Sehun's as he walks forward with alert eyes. Sehun's cheeks redden at the bold words spoken by his love, he wears a pout that Yixing cherishes and resumes his halted tracks. He couldn't stop himself from adding, "You know that a Crown Prince can only marry a person with the same status." </p><p>He can hear Yixing's slyness when he replies, "Well I am no longer a Crown Prince, which means I can marry whomever I want." </p><p>"Personally for me, I think His Majesty made the most suitable choice of wanting you to marry The Crown Princess of Long. She's nice."</p><p>Yixing stops his footsteps abruptly, Sehun follows suit with the impression that there might be people nearby as he readies himself to follow Yixing's next action, but none of that comes. </p><p>Instead, he comes across Yixing’s angry expression directed towards him.</p><p>“Your highness?” He inquired.</p><p>The man in dirtied royal robes blurts his question out; hurt evident in his voice, “Do you want me to go back and marry someone who I do not love?”</p><p>Sehun blinks, completely not expecting the question from his love. But he heard the question clearly and he answers truthfully, “I will not stop you if that is what you want to do.” It will remain unspoken for the fact of how Sehun was chanting <em>please don’t</em> repeatedly inside his heart and mind as he finished his honest answer and waited for Yixing to respond.</p><p>The man who gave Sehun his first kiss approaches him with a fiery gaze, steps loud and the crunch of the leaves echoes through the vast forest, Sehun only hopes that there are no people nearby who will be able to notice the sounds.</p><p>He stops just a breath away from Sehun’s lips, and it is so tempting to close their distance to feel his lips again after so long. All Sehun needs to do is bend his head down to meet Yixing’s raised head whose eyes are boring into his. But he was taught to resists all temptations and to be as still as possible, he was raised up as the Royal Guard for the Crown Prince whose job is to stay quiet, talk when talked to, move when the Crown Prince is only moving, and to only raise his hands for his sword to protect the royal heir.</p><p>So even when his first love is only an arm reach away, Sehun remains unmoving because he will not move unless the person behind for his upbringing does not make the first move.</p><p>The former Crown Prince whispers, “Tell me you want me to stay with you.”</p><p>Sehun wants Yixing to stay by his side forever, but is he that selfish? So selfish for his love that he is willing to let the royal family’s lineage in ruins?</p><p>“Tell me you don’t want me to marry a person that is not you.” He continues, “Please Sehun, tell me you still love me even after I am no longer the Crown Prince.”</p><p>Zhang Yixing is <em>begging</em>, asking Sehun to make him stay. The strong yet gentle and stern yet fair former Crown Prince- who may not be as tall as he wished to be but is still highly looked upon by the people, who goes against the words of The King to have his own freedom in choosing who he wants to wed to- whispered Sehun the most insecure thoughts Sehun has ever heard coming out from Yixing’s mouth.</p><p>He feels so undeserving of the love, affections and attentions he get from Yixing but he also couldn’t help but want all of him.</p><p>As selfish as he may sound right now, he sacrificed the most vulnerable and priceless asset a person can have- <em>his freedom</em>- to serve and protect Zhang Yixing, so getting the man for himself is- an already guilt ridden Sehun humbly thought- the least thing he can get in return.</p><p>And he genuinely cherishes his first love so much to actually being able to let him go.</p><p>“Marry me.”</p><p>Yixing blinks in wide eyes at him, “Sehun?”</p><p>“This is not exactly the right time to ask but I don’t trust myself to not bring you back to the palace if we’re not bind by the rules of marriage,” He rambles on while Yixing’s perplexed eyes stare right back into his determined blown pupils, “I still love you and this is very selfish of me to-”</p><p>“Yes! I’ll marry you!” Yixing laughs, Sehun stops spilling words out of his mouth and focuses on how Yixing’s face lights up in happiness.</p><p>He laughs along as well, “Are we seriously getting married in dirtied clothing around dead leaves and silent trees?”</p><p>Yixing’s dimple deepens and Sehun wants to poke it but is not given the chance to when his betrothed- <em>Sehun sucks in a deep breath at that realization</em>- takes his hand and leads them way deeper into the forest where the unbothered nature is alive.</p><p> </p><p>The man never ceases to amaze Sehun as he manages to make a decent livable space inside the cave they’ve discovered hidden behind a waterfall. They’re now cleaning their bodies in the water, surrounded by greenish bushes and plants, colourful flowers and trees that are tall and trunk thick with signs of life.</p><p>Sehun sighs in contentment as he allows his body to rest under the cool water. The rare moments where he lets his guard down is also the time where Yixing gets very playful, so Sehun is not at all shocked- though he couldn’t help but yelps- when Yixing surprises him with a back hug.</p><p>“Thank you.” He mumbled into his former royal guard’s broad and muscled back.</p><p>Sehun hums, “Thank you.” He repeated Yixing’s words.</p><p>He slowly turns around and Yixing cups his cheeks in response when they face each other. Sehun leans into the gentle touch eagerly with droopy eyes that are threatening to shut down for some sleep.</p><p>“Don’t get sleepy yet.” Yixing puts a little pressure on his hold of his cheeks, squishing Sehun’s face as the result of his action. “Why?” He replied softly.</p><p>There is that cunning sly smirk that the Crown Prince used to wore when he is in court trying to intimidate and to remind people that he is always a step ahead of them adorning Yixing’s lips as he breaths, “What do you think a newlywed couple would do after saying their vows?”</p><p>Sehun chokes on literally nothing at the indirect mention of sex, his response only spurred Yixing to go on.</p><p>“I’m saying my vows now.” He sang.</p><p>“Now? Here?!” Sehun exclaimed.</p><p>Yixing tilts his head to the side, “Embarrassed?”</p><p>The colour of red decorates Sehun’s warm face, “We’re naked, in the middle of nowhere and I don’t have my vows ready!”</p><p>“We are one with nature, are we not?” He asked, Sehun hesitantly nodded, “And this not nowhere, Sehun-ah. Do you want to know why?”</p><p>Sehun’s heart beats faster at how raw and honest Yixing looks at him, his eyes hold the sincerest intention and mouth curling into a smile that promises nothing but the truth.</p><p>“You have my heart and soul, Oh Sehun. I have found a home in you and that is why home is wherever you are.”</p><p>Nothing could separate them now. Not when they are sealing their vows with a kiss, not even when they are intimately making love surrounded by mother nature, Sehun feeling the freedom to be loud as he possibly could and Yixing taking his time to savour every inch of his husband’s body. No rush to catch up with the limited time that they used to have back when they were still the Crown Prince and the Royal Guard.</p><p> </p><p>They will not let go of each other but that does not mean the world will stop trying to tear them apart.</p><p> </p><p>The sun has gone down over the far horizon, the birds have gone silent whilst insects became louder than ever, the trees sways slightly whenever a zephyr greets by, the reflection of the rising moon begins to reflect on the surface of the waterfall.</p><p>They are in the oasis of serenity, but it is only then that Sehun starts having a bad feeling.</p><p>A really bad, terrible feeling that he could not just shake it off with a sleep while burying his face into Yixing’s neck. He stirs from his sleep with uneasy movements, waking his husband up from their peaceful slumber.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” He asked with furrowed brows, eyes scanning Sehun’s body in concern.</p><p>Sehun shakes his head, “Nothing.. I just have a bad feeling.” He finishes quietly.</p><p>Yixing remains quiet at that, his lips jutting out in an adorable pout as he thinks. Sehun rubs his chest- which is covered in love marks-, trying to soothe the uneasiness that’s growing as seconds pass by, it’s making him restless that he sits up.</p><p>Just as he was about to reach for his clothes, the ground within the cave vibrates slightly and it sends both of them into alertness.</p><p>They moved stealthily as they dressed up while keeping an eye and ear out for any incoming sounds. By the time they were ready and both had their hands on their personal swords, the subtle shakes of the earth had already stopped.</p><p>“We need to go.” Yixing whispered with caution. His partner hesitates when Yixing steps forward towards the entrance of the cave, “Are you sure? Whoever it is out there, they might not notice the cave behind the waterfall.”</p><p>He’s responded with a pat on the shoulder, “I don’t want us to cower and hide here.”</p><p>“If we go out there, we might die.” Sehun argued, feeling exasperated of the unknown future beyond them.</p><p>Though deep down inside his heart of roses that beats for Yixing, there blooms a thorn; tearing his beating heart with the realization that <em>no, they cannot escape this.</em></p><p>Yixing’s gaze hardens and Sehun sees the man- his husband- that was born with the blood of a royalty flowing within him, “Then so be it.” He tightens his hold on his sword, “Death does not scare me the same way losing you does.”</p><p> </p><p>The reflection of the moon and stars in Sehun’s eyes are so ethereal that Yixing sucks in a deep breath in mesmeration. The sea water below the cliff’s edge sloshes against the earth, wind blowing into their faces and bodies mercilessly. But despite the cool night air, Yixing is still sweating, his ragged breathing synchronising with the sound of the waves.</p><p>His sword that housed the carvings of words meant only for the Crown Prince by the kingdom’s finest and renowned swordsmith shines in red under the moonlight, the metallic liquid drips onto the green grass. Sehun’s sword is in a similar state as his.</p><p>“My love.” Yixing called, coming to terms with the fact that they won’t be able to spend another time together to see the rise and fall of the sun and moon.</p><p>Sehun turns his head towards him, a blush that’s becoming apparent on his cheeks highlighting the smear of blood across his jawline.</p><p>“Don’t tell me you regret marrying me now?” He quirked an eyebrow. The former crown prince smiles, “Of course not. If any, I am glad that I can officially call you as my husband.”</p><p>“Even for only a day?”</p><p>His smile drops, Sehun’s face expression falls along as well.</p><p>“You have my heart.” He whispers against the wind, against the loud waves, against the sound of people screaming and calling them out in the far distance that’s nearing them. He drops his sword and holds Sehun’s free hand with both his hands, “Always.”</p><p>A smile of resignation, one that is full of love and sorrow shapes Sehun’s lips.</p><p>“And you have mine, it has always been yours to <em>take</em>.”</p><p>It was how raw and honest Sehun has accepted his fate that causes Yixing’s eyes starting to wet, he heaves a dry sob.</p><p>"I don't want this for you, I never would think of such a cruel-"</p><p>Sehun whispers, “It’s alright.” He licks his lip, trying to clamp down his own sorrow that <em>things between them just had to end in this cruel situation</em> to focus on Yixing, whose hands are trembling.</p><p>"I would rather my life ends in the hands of someone I trust my life with."</p><p>Sehun could never blame Yixing. After all, the fate of the kingdom's future lies heavily on his shoulders. If he's judging by how the soldiers that confronted them tried their best not to harm the Kingdom of Lotus' former Crown Prince while showing no mercy while thrusting their weapons at him, then this just proves that the King still wants his son back and Sehun is just a nuisance that could be discarded whenever.</p><p>No matter what, in the end, Sehun knows what awaits him if he returns to the capital. It doesn't matter if Yixing has his title as the Crown Prince- because above all titles, His Majesty the King of Lotus holds all the powers. Yixing will be taking the throne one day, but Sehun wouldn't be there to see it. It'd be all too late then.</p><p>One would know from a child that marrying with the Crown Prince or Crown Princess is just simply impossible.</p><p>Sehun had made that possible, but he had also broken a rule he swore in honour of his family's name and self dignity; to not involve himself as a Royal Guard in any matter regarding the Crown Prince's personal life.</p><p>Sehun did just that. Proposing <em>and</em> marrying the Crown Prince? Oh, how their ancestors would roll in their graves knowing that their tradition <em>and</em> law has been broken.</p><p>And that is exactly why, Oh Sehun knows that what awaits him in the future is death.</p><p>He cannot escape this, but Yixing? He can and he needs to, he <em>has </em>to.</p><p>What better way to gain the trusts of his people back than to kill the previous Royal Guard who ran away with him?</p><p>Sehun knew the hushed whispers that lingers around the palace's grounds; that he is the one who made a move on their Crown Prince.</p><p>They are not wrong though, Sehun <em>is</em> the one who brought up the question.</p><p>It was only a <em>'</em><em>what are we?' </em>when he could no longer stand being suffocated by the tensed atmosphere whenever they were alone. It was starting to affect his performance as the Royal Guard of the Crown Prince, he wanted to get the question answered and over with- but Yixing answered Sehun by <em>kissing</em> him.</p><p>He wants to take his sweet time memorizing every feature of Yixing’s face, so that his mind will remember him for eternity but the voices of people are becoming louder as each second ticks by with the waves.</p><p>Maybe Sehun did take his sweet time looking into Yixing’s eyes because when he blinks only then did he feel the pain of a stab through his heart.</p><p>He wants Yixing to follow him to the other side where reality could not touch them but he’s been selfish enough. He got to marry the love of his life, he shouldn’t be complaining or begging for more when what he had with Yixing was far more beyond what his younger self would even dared to dream.</p><p>He staggers forward and his husband embraces him, hands cupping his cheeks that are now tainted by his own blood.</p><p>“I love you,” The strong former Crown Prince cries, “I’m so sorry.”</p><p>Sehun only hopes that Yixing understands the meaning behind his tears that escapes frantically as they were not angry hot tears. Rather, the tears that tells his husband that <em>it is okay, thank you for taking care of me until the end</em>.</p><p>“Will you wait for me?” His betrothed asked in a cracked voice. Sehun uses all of his remaining strength to nod. The last thing he sees before his eyes shut is Yixing’s dimpled smile.</p><p>He died in his lover’s arms; a lifeless body with an empty mind that could no longer remember the vows of their marriage. The words that marks the end of their relationship. The vows that Zhang Yixing had promised him, the nature as their witnesses.</p><p>
  <em>“Until death do us part.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>The loving husband who is the former Crown Prince said his last words with dried up tears, soft trembling caresses against Sehun’s cold cheeks as he wears a smile full of love only for his beloved, “Do not wait for me because I won’t look for you. I have said my vows and I will keep them.”</p><p> </p><p>That was the last sighting of the former Crown Prince before he renounced his own title back for himself, with eyes that no longer holds any warmth nor a smile that holds sincerity.</p><p>The people who saw the Crown Prince that night under the full moon are considered lucky, because that was the last time that Zhang Yixing loved.</p><p>If the citizens and the royal family of the Lotus Kingdom knew how much the Crown Prince truly loved his former royal guard before he rebelled, if his father the King himself didn’t underestimate the capabilities of his own firstborn then maybe, <em>maybe</em>, they wouldn’t have had to suffer under his reign.</p><p>He is not a cruel or a selfish ruler per se. But he is merciless.</p><p>Any orders he gave or made were done without a smile, and they’ve never heard his sincere laughter ever since he came back to the capital.</p><p>The kingdom under his reign prospers well, but they suffer with guilt for having gotten rid of the reason for his happiness.</p><p>Even when he did ended up marrying the Crown Princess of Long, even when he had children that all grew up nicely- it was not enough to make him happy.</p><p>The reason for his happiness was buried with flowers at the place where he took his last breath.</p><p>Every full moon, he would bring flowers to that place. He would smile while telling stories and cries when he whispers his longing towards his one and only love.</p><p>Sehun would receive the flowers every full moon. It was only during the full moon that he could hear the far distant sounds of waves, and occasionally, he would hear the ghost of laughters and cries from the voice of his beloved.</p><p>The last flowers that he had received were butterfly weeds.</p><p>And before that, he’d gotten red roses.</p><p>One of Yixing’s hobbies is to learn the languages of flowers, and thanks to him Sehun got to know a bit about the meanings behind some flowers. He was so over the moon when he received red roses, because red roses carry the words of <em>love, I love you.</em></p><p>But he doesn’t know what butterfly weeds symbolizes as. He doesn’t recognize the flow of time in his world but the moment he stopped getting flowers and hearing the sounds, Sehun knew the situation had changed.</p><p>And so he waited, waited <em>and</em> waited.</p><p>He never receives any more flowers from him, nor can he hear the sounds that haunts his ascended soul.</p><p>He never got to know the meaning behind butterfly weeds.</p><p>And Yixing never comes to Sehun, even when Sehun had nodded to him that he would wait.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So the question here is: what does butterfly weed means?</p><p>:)</p><p>If you're wondering, yes, Sehun still waits.</p><p>But then he remembers Yixing's vows.</p><p>And now it's time for you to suffer.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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